Ostia took Mara to an elegant restaurant café overlooking the city. It was several floors above the slavers row which her mistress now controlled, through a system of leveraged loans, which the wealthy estates of Port Cos used to evict, and extort fees and levies from those who wished to stay in their family homes. Ostia was seated on a golden cushion upon an elegant high backed chair with ornate arm rests and pretty Mara had her own golden cushion for her little bottom. It was just dusk and they were there early. Just at the time they light the candles and the clouds fight with the sun.
Well, it was such a lovely night and Mara had taken strands of her hair from the sides near her ears, and pulled them back to a small half pony tail atop her head, with a small ribbon tying off the hair, no bow just knotted, and flowing down in just two strands of deep blue ribbon. Her silks of course match, with a little bit of lace edging the straps and bottom. She kneels there by her Mistress, odd, not to be serving, but one can just be glad for the break.
"This place looks, very elegant, my Mistress."
“It is very elegant, look around, describe it to me, what do you see here little slave, and might I add that you are dressed very sweetly, for the occasion.”
Ostia was dressed in red and black with an over bust corset that plumped her deliciously, but the bare skin of her shoulders was covered with lacy shawl and a fur wrap. Her hair was straight and down the side. A slave girl came out and brought them a tray of tea service and one was set in front of Mara too. A little bowl of sugar and creamer were there with the little silver pot of tea for them to refill from, and a vase with a tulip in it.
“You may drink with me this is our dinner,” she told Mara before dismissing the girl.
Mara is absolutely delighted by everything and she takes a look around,
"I see a nicely set atmosphere with tables that are very well set up for service. The candles add a nice soft setting that makes it seem close to that night I had set the candles in the bathing room, very soft lighting. The paintings on the walls are done to add to it, with one that looks like, a sailing boat, or is that some kind of travel boat? And that floral one is very pretty, adding color. They have set it up very pretty, my Mistress. I see another woman over there, at a table over, and though she is not dressed as finely as you, she looks to be enjoying herself.”
“Yes it is,” she finally answered. She took her time tonight and relaxed picking and choosing her words and motions very carefully. She leaned in and the light black fur gently swivels with her shoulders, teased around her cleavage and over lace. Her hands were careful with the tea, delicately perched on the handle, her other hand lift her veils just enough to reveal her soft full red lips that touched the little porcelain and sipped the tea ever so demurely.
Down in the streets below the café they could see a gathering of people with banners and torches, beginning to form in the widest intersection between the buildings. Meanwhile, on the balcony a musician came out to play a flute.
“I wanted to treat you tonight because you have really been such a good girl. Is there anything you haven’t eaten for some time that you have been craving my slave girl?”
"Really?! Oh thank you my Mistress, this is the best treat ever." She wanted to kiss her feet, but she refrains and keeps her kneel. Thinking a moment as she ooohs and ahhs to the people down below, the balconies are amazing. Then the musician and Mara is entranced by the sweet tune played.
"Hmm, I have not had, tasta or minced ice with flavoring in a long time." She turns a smile to her that loosely curled blonde hair caressing her shoulders where bare, as she turns her head left and right. She feels so special tonight.
"Tasta for dessert then, and for your meal what about little cubes of verr with mint jelly, honey carrots and a little salad my precious girl?" Mollycoddled like an infant! Oh kings what would people say when they found out she were feeding her like a little princess. The crowd down below in the street was getting bigger and louder, even the flute was now mingled with the flute playing.
"I wonder what that is down there?" she said lazily and idly while she luxuriates in the tea which was perfect for the warmth of the night air. The sun was now down on the river peeking through a thick cloud. Ostia crossed her legs and dangle her heel which was wrapped in a rudofksy with a little tassel on the crossover at her toes. A couple came out to the balcony and shared glasses of wine watching the sunset.
"That sounds delicious, my Mistress. Yes, please. I have not had verr with mint jelly, well any of that." She responds softly, with that warm and loving smile to her. She tilts her head to the railing of the balcony, peering down at the people in the streets.
"Maybe, there is some kind of riot or a procession?" Curiously she says, and then looks to her Mistress.. A push of of her breasts, tonight's silks fall with a low neckline that reveal more than half of her pressed together, breasts. Turning her head to watch her Mistress, the simple motion of crossing her legs, is enticing to Mara and she breathes in deep, slowly exhaling.
"How has your day been today, my Mistress?”
“My day was rather lovely as I am sure you know since you saw me sleeping almost the entire day and are just being nice to me I know. I bought you a little present.” Ostia told Mara and reached around to her other side, then pulled out a little box wrapped with paper by her mistress own hand. It had a little pink bow on it. Just as she handed it to her there was the sound of breaking glass down in the street below. The big crowd of people started marching and shouting a chant, something about better wages.
Mara would whispery laugh at that,
"But, my Mistress, just because you were in bed all day, could not mean you enjoyed it much. And yes, it was nice to see you relaxing for the entire day, my Mistress." Mara glances to the commotion and then brought her attention around at hearing her words, looking to the presented gift wrapped box and then to her Mistress' face, her breath caught in her throat.
"A gift, I have only received a few and your handmade blanket was the best I have ever gotten, but another." She says with breathless wonder and she lifts her hands, a little shaky to accept it and look it over, reaching to pinch at the bow with her fingers, more toying with it, as it's so cute!
"Thank you, my Mistress. I hope those people out there do not cause trouble." She says softly, but her attention remained on the gift and she held a breath in her lungs, as she starts to open it, being so careful, to not tear the wrapping, and then setting the ribbon aside, a little odd for her to keep it all?
Neither of them seemed to care at all about the trouble in the street, more glass was broken and then a fire broke out and a big peal of black smoke lifted into the air and curved over toward the sunset which was orange. Up high, there was a big patch of blue in the sky where the sky was still lit up in the clouds. From out of no where a whole other group of people came pouring out of the alley shouting and yelling some sort of war cry. They were carrying big sticks like bats and wore yellow arm bands on their arms. They just poured out attacking the crowd of workers. The screams of women and children could be heard mixing in the violence.
A slave girl came up and Ostia ordered them cubed verr with mint jelly, and sifters of flavored liquor with honeyed carrots and a salad. The flute player on the balcony played a happy snobbish little tune while Ostia bought dinner for herself and a slave girl, while below the people riot and the city began to burn. And inside the box she had given her was a pair of gold plated earrings and a shiny gold plated belly chain, and something even to put in her navel
"My, ears are to be pierced, my Mistress?" And oooh, she lowers her hand and reaches to finger that belly chain, she cannot wait to put it on and that what is it, something to put, she tilts her head to the side. "They are beautiful, .my Mistress. I this,. Thank you so much."
“You are very welcome my dear Mara.” she said softly as she watched the goings on below as if it were a parade.
“A toast my dear slave girl, to us.” She said lifting the little glass to Mara and nodding to her to do the same.
As she did this a horrific shouting roar was blistering through the streets below and men had mounted the roofs of the buildings throwing down burning pots of oil onto the crowd catching men on fire who careened through the streets like tops of flame. The firemen of the city came tearing down the side street ringing a heavy belly and shouting as the uniformed fire men got out the hoses and buckets. A phalanx of the cities military was seen coming down the street but they too were caught up in the melee and could not seem to disengage the gang members from the blood bath.
“To our continued happiness,” Ostia said.
Mara recloses the box and sets it right near her cushion, when that snifter came Mara lifts it up and sniffs at it and looking to her Mistress, The sounds she pushes out of her mind, she cannot hear it and will not listen.
"Here here." She says softly, "and enjoyed company."
“And enjoyed company.” She replied and tipped the sifter up under her veils drinking down all the heady flavors of the liquor in one little swallow.
Down below in the streets the riot had gotten completely out of control and the fires were no better. The firemen tried valiantly to put them out with their hoses and buckets but it seemed like every time one would be extinguished another would start. There was now a clash of steel among the crowds As men fought savagely over their principles, some for rights some for vengeance, some for just the need for more food driven to the streets by the ravishes of poverty. The military phalanx was driving a wedge into the crowd as it swirled and rippled like an amoeba, a living organism of gangs fighting in the street. Giant plumes of water began to shoot up into the sky to fight the fires while the pillars of smoke lifted up into the beautiful sunset which the well dressed citizens in the balcony cafe celebrated with fine wines and rich food.
“I think that tomorrow we should go for a walk around the lake, perhaps play a game of net and butterfly on the grass, or lawn bowling. we could wear white shoes.” She sighed as the liquor warmed her belly.
"That tasted, pretty good, my Mistress." Mara watches her Mistress and then she lifts it to her own lips and tilts her head, drinking it all and her eyes widen as she lowers the glass, feeling it slide down her throat and she clears it quickly, tasting it and not at all used to it's taste, feeling it slide all the way down along within her. She sets the glass down to be taken when ready and she glances to her Mistress. A small turn of her head to look over the balcony and below, horrible, and Mara breathes in deeply, then slowly exhales it as she looks away, and rather to the beautiful sight of her Mistress.
"Yes, or we could have a swimming race, .maybe." She says but with a lighter tone to her voice and the warmth spreads through her system just a little.
After only two days in this city Gen had come to a conclusion. This place was messed up. First there was the "show" she had seen last night which was nothing more then the public use of a girl and now there was a riot and there was poor Gen in the wrong place at the wrong time. She had managed to duck into alleyways and stay away from most people. She had only been seen twice and both times she had managed to outrun or out hide her pursuers. As she headed down the street the back door to the cafe opened and the Kitchen master told her to take refuge inside. She figured it was better then staying out in the fires and violence so she quickly took him up on his offer hurrying inside. She was dressed in rather plain looking brown robes. her long hair flowing down to her shoulders. After leading her to one of the empty tables he went off to get her food. Nibbling on her lower lip she sat down deliberately avoiding looking over the balcony at the violence and carnage below
Ostia turned her head to see they had let a commoner in the restaurant and she was rather put off by it. But she turned her attention back to Mara and their little party and then said,
”Mara you seem to have something on your mind lately, you don't seem very talkative. Was there something you wanted to tell me? Something you are worried about? up here on the balcony they exist with all this luxury and ease while the people of the city struggled just to get bread. Whether this was a food riot or a wage riot or a battle between the people of two opposing houses it was impossible to know but the noise of the fighting below continued to trickle up to them while the flute player lilt on in a merry way
Gen's situation was unique She was just thankful that she was given refuge from everything going on. When the woman looked to her she nodded to her. What she was surprised about was how the two could be so calm.
"How can you be so calm with everything going on?"
"I did feel a little worried about below, just would not want anything happen to you. But, I am enjoying myself. And apologize for my not being as talkative.. I will stop worrying about what may not happen, my Mistress." She reached a hand up to tuck an errant strands of blonde hair behind her cute little ear, which may one day have earrings.
“Would you like to put on the belly chain”” She was purposefully ignoring the commoner as the sound of the riot was going on below and the smoke filled the sunset sky. You could smell it just a little bit that burnt wood and death smell coming up to the balcony cafe but the owners sent out slave girls with little pots of incense to wave around in the air and chase the smell away. Finally Ostia turned to Genevieve and asked her
“I’m sorry what do you mean dear?” just then the slave girl came out with their little salads in the expensive china plates and Ostia picked up her tines to begin to eat the greens that the people in the street below could not find in the market lately.
She was very likely eating food now that the others down there would kill for. When she heard Ostia's response she looked at her eyes wide
"What I mean? The riot? The burning buildings, all the violence going on. Aren't you at least a little worried? I mean what if someone decides to set this building on fire"
“Oh its way over there,” She said because it was way over there, they could see it because they were so high up in the building its just the people. The meal itself was brought out and left for them. The china and the food itself in tiny portions of cubed verr with the bright green mint jelly. The carrots so bright next to it like a perfect color wheel. Ostia ate pleasantly while there was a full on clash of riot control and crowd below and the whole thing seemed to erupt again into a blowout.
“Oh the salad was lovely don’t you think?” A series of burning oil pots were dumped on the crowd in the street causing a cacophony of screams.
To be served, .is not something a slave could ever get used to, aside from what your owners give you and that is a precious gift in itself. So, she would thank the slave or slaves each time they did something with that bright and happy smile. She mmm'ed after the first bite and then stopped for a moment,
"Yes, my Mistress, very lovely. I liked it and maybe I could repeat it sometime." She lifts her tea and sips it gently,
She nearly fell out of her chair when she heard the screams of the people as hot oil was poured on them. She was definitely glad that she had gotten out of the streets even if she wasn't one of the rioters. She doubted that the soldiers would really pick and choose who they attacked now
The sun went down and they dined extravagantly on fine food and drink while the city burned down below making their small talk and getting high in expensive liquor. By the time they brought the tasta they were both feeling very good and their plates were long pushed away. Ostia reclined half turned in the chair and rubbed her hand along the arm chair while she watched her girl with a smile on her face.
“Well this was lovely don’t you think? She asked as the tasta was laid out for Mara alone like she was a spoiled little rich girl. Go head and eat it she purred behind her veils, the bill was brought and it was ridiculous how much it cost even for this place. All the prices were going up all over the city
Hearing Ostia she nearly lost it on the woman. This is lovely? There was a riot going on. There were people suffering all around while this woman wined and dined and treated her slave to expensive food. She managed not to say anything though. To actually go off on the woman would be stupid. After all it was this cafe owner who was giving her sanctuary and a free meal and she didn't want to offend any of his patrons and for all she knew the woman might be his friend
"Yes, this has been great and so enjoyable, my Mistress." Glancing to the tasta and then to her again. "You do not want any, my Mistress?" She lifts up the tasta by its stick and she slips it into her mouth. It has sweet syrup on it She slides it out of her mouth with a low slurp.
“Thank you very much, my Mistress this is one of the best days ever." She slips the tasta into her mouth again and licks it.
“Oh no I am perfect just as I am.” She did spoil the girl but what good was it to have such a good handmaiden if you couldn't spoil her and give her little baubles to decorate her with.
“It is one of the best days ever isn't it? the perfect continuation of our hand. It really has been quite eventful hasn’t it? Our little outings in the carriage and all the people we met. I can’t wait to do it again all over.” she smiled then paid the bill and left it on the table.
"It has been great fun this week, speaking to people from the carriage." She whispery laughs at the remembrance. "We would do it again? I cannot wait, my Mistress. Maybe tajah could come sometime. You have made carriage rides so much more exciting than they usually are."
“Oh and with tajah they would be devilish wouldn't they?” Then Ostia lead her girl out of the cafe and took her down to the carriage to get a safe ride home to the grand villa on the lake far away from all the struggles of real people
